


Pathraza's Blessing

by Insane_As_The_Mind



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-22 21:52:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10705866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane_As_The_Mind/pseuds/Insane_As_The_Mind
Summary: Duvaine escapes from the tyranny of Elohn, where she has lived her entire life. She flees to Hyrule with Elohn soldiers looking for her, and somehow manages to get tangled with the Hero of Legend. Together they uncover a dark past and plot that they can only fix together, and the fate of their kingdoms rests on a little white lie...





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The old woman's voice rasped against the room's elegant, pristine white walls. A colossal fireplace roared with life, which cast an eerie glow over the hag. If one were to look closely, they could see only a few yellowing teeth remained within her mouth. Her hair was as coarse as hay, yet hidden beneath a crisp white cloth befitting of a King's servant.

"Long ago, before the rulers of Elohn built our might city, there was a Goddess." The woman began, taking a seat beside the large soft bed that dominated half of the enormous room. "This Goddess's name was Pathraza. The mortals thought her to be gorgeous, even Din found herself envious of the grace and beauty Pathraza possessed. Sadly, Pathraza was merely a lower Goddess and therefor a servant to Din. She was given demeaning tasks not worthy of her stature-"

"What's demeaning mean?" An excited young voice interrupted, the old woman glared at the pair of eyes watching her from beneath the covers. "Sorry." The girl fidgeted beneath the heavy blanket.

The old woman took a deep breath, she despised it when anybody interrupted her story telling; everyone in the castle knew it.

"Then, one day..." The woman continued again. "Din sent Pathraza down to Earth, forcing her to complete another task Din was unfit to do herself. That is where Pathraza met Ibo." The old woman smiled faintly, another set of eyes appeared from beneath the covers, watching timidly while the other bounced with excitement. "Ibo was a kind man, there was never such a loving and kind soul as he. Pathraza fell in love with him, and he with her, unaware that he was in love with a goddess."

"This is the saddest part." The bouncing bundle whispered, but the woman wasn't as deaf as she was blind. She waited for silence again. "Sorry." The girl said again. The old woman couldn't help an amused smile that crossed her toothless face.

"When Din discovered the affair, she was furious. The sky boiled and stormed with her anger, she was horrified that a mere mortal could catch the attention of her servant. In a blind rage, Din cast a curse over Ibo, a darkness came over him and he consumed all the energy from those around him, they all withered into blankness. The ancient kingdom, who's name we've forgotten, fell into ruin. Pathraza was horrified by what became of her lover, but did not give up hope to restoring him to his former self. Before she could seek the help of the Hero Of The Goddesses, neighboring kingdoms came to kill Ibo. In a last effort to keep her love safe, Pathraza sealed him deep within a mountain where nobody could find him. Din cast Pathraza out, taking away her beauty and leaving her to the humans." The woman sucked in a deep breath, satisfied that she had told it correctly.

"What happened to Pathraza after that Uma?" The little girl couldn't hold in her excitement any longer, bouncing red curls sprung up from beneath the covers and her face was covered in freckles, bright green eyes filled with excitement.

"You asked me this last time Fovi." The old lady drawled, standing to stir the fire. "I'm sure Duvaine remembers, why don't you ask her?" The woman suggested, there was a small whimper from beneath the covers.

"Do you remember Duvaine? Won't you tell me?" The redhead demanded, pulling the covers back until she revealed the second little girl. Her short white hair blended with the sheets of the bed, and her eyes were clouded, murky white clouding her pupils mysteriously.

"Uh- She- she... I can't remember." Her voice was as small as she was, white eyes flickering between the woman and her friend.

"Pish posh my dear." The woman straightened her hunched back. "The royal family is supposed to be related to the Goddess, and yet you don't remember where she went?" The woman shook her head and the little girl shied away from her gaze.

"Sh-she disappeared, but she had a baby first..." The white haired girl stuttered, hiding her face behind the thick covers.

"That's right." The old woman, Uma, smiled. "And it's told she watches over us all from wherever she may be."

"Do you believe she does?" Fovi asked the nanny, excitement filling her eyes all at once. "I'm going to find her one day-!"

"I'm sure you will." Uma said dryly, "But for now you must go to sleep."

Fovi's face fell, she sank back into the bed beside the quiet Duvaine and pulled the covers around them.

"Goodnight Princess." Uma rasped, as she closed the door quietly behind her.

Unfortunately for Duvaine, Fovi was wide awake.

"Do you believe the story?" Fovi asked beneath the covers. Duvaine looked at her for a long time, expressionless.

"If you do, then so do I." She whispered back.

"Forget about me princess, what do you think?"

"Don't call me that Fovi, you know I don't like it." Duvaine shrank deeper into her pillow, voice getting smaller and smaller.

"Oh stop it, scaredy cat. Nothing can hurt you while I'm here!" The redhead snorted, and scooted closer to her friend. Fovi tugged gently on a long strand of Duvaine's hair, who held very still.

"So pretty. I wish I had hair like yours." Fovi pouted.

"It isn't pretty, it's strange." Duvaine whispered back, afraid the dark may hear her. Fovi's disbelief was potent.

"Just because people look at you strangely, doesn't mean you are strange." Fovi assured. Duvaine didn't feel much better.

"I can feel it, they think I'm strange. They're disgusted sometimes." Duvaine said sadly.

"There is nothing strange about a shy little seven year old girl." Fovi announced, as if everybody knew that. "They've just never seen such a beautiful princess before." The girl chuckled, and Duvaine blinked with a frown.

"Stop it Fovi. You're going to get into trouble." Duvaine warned, not wanting anybody to hear.

"Psh, no I'm not. I'm three years older than you, which means I can't get in trouble." Fovi said smugly. "I'm practically an adult."

"I don't think so..." The girl's voice trailed off quietly.

Fovi yawned enormously, and snuggled deeper into the blankets as the cold night air began to waft through the curtains. Duvaine knew she would fall asleep quickly now that she had released all her thoughts.

"G'night... D'vaine..." Fovi slurred, eyes closing slowly as she drifted off into sleep. It wasn't soon after that Duvaine could hear light snores coming from her friend.

"Goodnight Fovi." She whispered to the dark room.


	2. Raid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! :3

Duvaine jolted awake, her ears ringing from the scream that filled her room. Her body was covered in a cold sweat, the moisture making her shiver against the open air when she sat up. It took her a full moment to realize that the scream had been from herself.

A loud bang sounded against the door, something was absolutely wrong. That didn't sound like Afi's usual nervous knock, that sounded like a boulder hitting her door. There was anger all around her, and fear, she could feel it like a snowstorm raging within her room.

The door shook on its' hinges again, the sound of somebody very heavy wanting to be let in. Duvaine shrunk in fear, clutching at her blankets as if they may protect her from whatever monster was trying to find her. With a splintering crack, the door flew open; it swung clean off its' hinges and collided with her dresser in an explosion of bits and wood.

The man that stepped into her room was larger than any she had ever seen. He was holding a large bloodied sword in his hands and Duvaine couldn't stop the squeal of terror that passed through her pale lips. Her entire body seized up, trembling wildly in terror. He drew the weapon back, Duvaine's back held firm by the wall; there was no where to run. Pure terror flashed across her mind, she sent a small prayer to the Goddesses as a sob shook her chest.

A sickening crunch filled her ear drums, and warm liquid splattered across her fear filled face. There was a large sword sticking out the middle of the man, he dropped his sword with a deafening clang of metal on stone. The assaulter's gaze locked onto the sword sticking through his chest, Duvaine could feel the horror and fear just by looking into his eyes.

"Duvaine?!" A voice called, she almost melted with relief. "Did you stop him in time Anoc?"

There was a grunt and the large body fell stiffly to the ground beside her bed as the sword was removed roughly. Behind the corpse stood Anoc, who was wiping his sword clean with a cloth, an annoyed scowl planted on his face. He was a few years older than Fovi, his square jaw set in a grimace. Blonde hair and sea green eyes pierced Duvaine straight into her soul. His emotions were unreadable as he took in Duvaine's disheveled and terrified state before him, and she could feel his contempt. Before she could even open her mouth to mutter a thank you, or ask for an explanation, or sob, Fovi was pushing passed the guard with a look of concern written plainly on her beautiful face.

"Thank the Goddesses, you're alright!" She whimpered, and pulled Duvaine into a tight hug. Her anxiety washed over Duvaine, and she could feel that Fovi wasn't the only person in the castle with raging thoughts.

"What's happening?" She whimpered into the woman's shirt. Fovi drew back, eyeing the guard behind her; Duvaine blanched at the blood she left on Fovi's shirt. Fovi had grown in the last ten years, where she had grown taller, Duvaine had remained short. Where Fovi had gained complementing curves, Duvaine had barely grown a bust. Where Fovi had matured into a beautiful young woman, Duvaine had remained colorless and bland.

"It's alright princess, we need to get out of here now!" Fovi demanded, and she turned back to the grimacing guard. It was the first stitch of emotion that Duvaine could finally read from him: nervousness. Duvaine had seen it for months, whenever Fovi spared him a glance he seemed to seize with nervousness. Although Duvaine wasn't experienced in any kind of romantic love, it was obvious there was love pooling in his heart for Fovi, and there was currently fear for her safety; not his own.

She stared wide eyed at the man as he left the room, feeling his devotion like a slap in the face. What did it feel like to have somebody love you so unconditionally? She couldn't even muster enough intelligence to scold Fovi for calling her princess and not realizing Anoc's feelings.

"Wait outside for us, we'll meet you there in a moment." Anoc's gaze traveled over Fovi's face for a second then worriedly at Duvaine. Duvaine wondered how Fovi couldn't see it in Anoc's eyes the way he cared for her.

"Just hurry your highness." He muttered gruffly, before closing the door firmly behind him.

Before he had closed the door all the way, Fovi was shoving splintered wood off Duvaine's dresser and furiously pulling clothes out of it. She threw some clothing at the white haired girl, who barely managed to catch the projectiles.

"Hurry up and put those on, we have to get out of here." Fovi commanded, and Duvaine didn't hesitate to obey. The sound of swords clashing somewhere down the hall made Duvaine shiver with fear. The more she focused the more she could feel the pain of those throughout the castle, the more she could feel the agony and fear that flowed through the halls like a flood.

"What's happening?" She asked quietly as she pulled the long sleeved tunic over her head.

Fovi was stuffing things into a bag as Duvaine pulled on her clothes.

"Fovi." She whispered urgently, forcing her friend to look her in the eye. "What's happening?" She whimpered.

Fovi sighed and pulled a black tunic over her head, Duvaine pulled on the pair of pants trying not to get too close to the dead body taking up space on the floor. The sight and smell of blood made her want to puke, it curdled her stomach.

"The castle is under attack. I think I know why, but we can't talk here. Once we get out, I'll explain everything. You are my biggest priority right now." She said. "I'll keep you safe."

Duvaine was shaking her head. "No, no. No! You have to save yourself before you save me—"

"I don't have to do anything, now hurry up and put those on princess."

The pale haired girl didn't argue, she pulled her clothes and shoes on faster; soon enough Fovi was yanking her out the door and into the hall.

"Anoc!" She hissed into the hall, and the man appeared immediately, eyes glancing over the both of them and nodding in approval. Duvaine realized that her friend was wearing similar clothing to her own, although their heights were very different.

"Let's go." Anoc commanded, nudging Fovi forward with a gloved hand. He wore the armor of the private guard, pure white and yet it was splattered with blood. Duvaine wondered who's idea it was to make a soldiers uniform white, but her thoughts didn't have time to linger.

Anoc led them through the stone cold hallways, the clang of sword fighting echoed across the grounds like fireworks. Duvaine had never felt such terror in her life, but she did her best to be brave for Fovi at least. It was strange how the once comforting walls seemed to be shrinking down on her small form, making her feel trapped in the sorrow. It was a horrible feeling, and Duvaine couldn't shake the helplessness; then she realized she wasn't the only one feeling this way.

Duvaine squeezed Fovi's hand as they jogged down another stretch of hallway; Anoc skidded to a stop and Duvaine and Fovi both bumped into his back. He raised a protective arm towards them, but Duvaine could see that there were four men ahead of them hacking down a few soldiers. The attackers were dressed in leathers, no marks to claim them for any specific kingdom or group. They appeared to be common cutthroats as they hacked down Elohn's blue clad soldiers.

Duvaine's heart plummeted, and she could feel Fovi's helplessness and fear increase tenfold when the raiders turned towards them. Duvaine's hands began to tremble as the look in their eyes leaked into her soul.

"Stay back princess." Anoc muttered under his breath, and the men ahead of them charged forward. The smell of blood, sweat and death filled Duvaine's nostrils; she couldn't hold back a whimper.

Their anger was consuming them, their need to kill making them animals as they swung their swords and axes in the air with cries of war leaving their lips. Anoc pushed the pair of girls back further and drew his sword in a fluid motion. Duvaine set her eyes on the man in the front, charging at them with a large stupid grin on his face, mace held high.

He was happy, excited to hurt them, to kill them. Duvaine felt her own anger flare, when the man halted in his tracks. His companions halted as well, and Anoc paused uncertainly.

"Princess?" He asked, glancing back with a nervous look.

Duvaine blinked, not hearing him or feeling Fovi's hand around her gloved one. The mercenaries ahead were all frozen, then doubled over in pain. It hurt Duvaine's eyes to watch, but she couldn't rip them away; horror struck at what had come over them. Their unnatural screams filled the halls of the castle, the sound pierced Duvaine's ears and burned into her memory. Her own horror matched Fovi's, but Fovi had much more sense than Duvaine did.

"Look away!" Fovi pulled Duvaine's face into her chest, tears of terror were falling heavily down her pale cheeks. Duvaine's entire frame shook in fear and she shrunk away from their screams and their pain.

"Hurry now." Anoc said, as if nothing had happened; the guard couldn't hide his disgust, and slight horror. "Just this way, almost there." He gestured them to hurry, sweat beaded on his forehead.

Fovi tucked the weeping Duvaine under her arm as they hurried after Anoc, down the hall and down a spiral staircase. The air grew colder and Duvaine found herself shivering; she knew exactly where they were.

The coldness of the dungeons was not something that she could forget, her and Fovi had snuck there too many times in their childhood. They passed many rooms, their gate turning from quiet into a full sprint. At the end of several rows of cages, torture rooms, and labs, was a door where they threw the useless corpses outside. Anoc was quick to pull out a key and unlock the heavy door when they reached it.

Duvaine cringed into Fovi suddenly. "I can hear them." She whispered frantically. "They're coming."

Fovi cursed under her breath and Anoc gave her a disbelieving look, so she cursed at him too. "Hurry up Anoc!" She demanded, pulling Duvaine closer to her side.

Sure enough, the sound of stomping boots could be heard at the entrance of the dungeons.

"There's the princess! Get her! She's mine! There! Kill her!" They all screamed and yelled, Duvaine whimpered in panic.

Before the mass of men could get closer, the metal door swung open and they pushed through it. Anoc was quick to shut it tightly right behind them, there were shouts of anger and fury yelled down the hall as the giant door banged shut and the enormous lock twisted back into place with a resounding clang.

Duvaine was shivering, trying to block out the awful mixture of emotion. Anoc didn't give her a moments rest as he pulled them along again. The outside air was cold and Duvaine could see her breath, the trees around the pit were all sickly colors from the nutrients of the corpses they absorbed regularly. The exit they had taken was a disgusting place. It was where they dumped the carcasses, a mixture of animal bones and human remains were scattered throughout the barren field, some fresher than others. The trees surrounded it, keeping the area secluded and protected from the public. Anoc stomped through the field, kicking skulls out of the way as he went. Fovi still held her tightly, she wasn't sure if it was to comfort her or herself.

Elohn was a land of trees, almost the entire country was forest. Their biggest industry was lumber, and their largest competitor was Hyrule to the north and Azehl to the the east, Duvaine had no idea what lay to the west.

Duvaine had never been anywhere outside the castle, but she had always dreamed of traveling to Hyrule's lands one day. Fovi had told her many stories of what it was supposed to be like, and how everybody there was free, even the princess.

"Stay here, hide in the brush there. Don't move until I come back." Anoc commanded with authority in his tone. Fovi gave him a pointed look before he sprinted away. The girls hunkered down below the brush, both watching for any raiders.

"Where are we going?" Duvaine asked, her stomach curling from all of the emotions.

"Far away, where they won't ever find us." Fovi whispered with a smile, but Duvaine couldn't smile back.

"Anoc loves you." Duvaine whispered, and she could have sworn that Fovi's breathing hitched.

"Of course he does princess." She giggled. "Who doesn't?"

Duvaine sniffed, "Me. Especially when you call me princess." She muttered.

Fovi laughed, but she couldn't hide her anxiety, she should've known better than to try and hide it. She was just as scared as Duvaine felt.

"Fovi... What if someone recognizes me...?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

"They won't, how could they?" Fovi asked, and Duvaine gave her a disbelieving look.

"Look at me Fovi. White hair, white eyes, white everything. It would be easy for anyone to know me and remember." She explained quietly.

"You're forgetting about your cute little button nose, and your heart shaped face, and your cute little cheeks!" Fovi cooed, pinching her cheek gently.

Duvaine would've laughed any other day, but she couldn't even muster a smirk. Fovi's hand dropped like an anchor at Duvaine's saddened expression.

"Fine, you're right. Here, put this on." Fovi pulled a black bandanna from around her neck and helped Duvaine wrap it around the bottom half of her face. Then Fovi dug a hood out of the back of Duvaine's warm tunic and stuffed all her hair inside it. The thin fabrics helped make her feel more secure, but she knew they wouldn't offer her any protection against a man with a sword.

"Thank you." She whispered, and Fovi gave her hand a small reassuring squeeze.

"Listen, I think I know where these raiders came from—"

"That way!" A voice yelled, and the sounds of pounding horse hooves was thundering towards them. Anoc came racing around the corner on a large brown speckled stallion and a smaller mare beside it. Fovi pulled Duvaine out of the brush with a quick reassuring yell.

Fovi leaped up onto the horse, and yanked Duvaine up behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she squeezed Fovi around the middle tightly. There were men pursuing them on horses, looking angry that their prey was escaping.

"Hyah!" Fovi called, and the horse bolted forward with a whinny. Duvaine clung to Fovi tightly with her eyes squeezed shut, trying to keep her breathing even and trying to drown out the men's cries for blood.

Anoc was close behind them as the trees blurred passed. It was her first time outside the castle, and yet she couldn't unbury her nose from the back of Fovi's shirt.

Fovi's familiar scent calmed her, yet her fear was potent, causing it to run through Duvaine's veins as well. The sound of the pursuers behind them was getting louder and closer; she had to swallow down a sob building in her throat. Their angry shouts and whoops into the night air was making it harder and harder to keep the sob down.

The sound of a horse right beside them made Duvaine's eyes fly open, wild and scared. It took her a wild moment to realize it was only Anoc.

"Go princess, I'll fend them off." Anoc's gruff shout should've been reassuring. "Keep her close." Anoc added, passing a glance over Duvaine before spurning his horse and falling back behind them.

"What's he doing?" Duvaine demanded, Fovi's face looked resigned, but she could detect the utter sorrow and torture that was hidden beneath her gaze. It was in that moment that Duvaine realized that Foci loved Anoc as much as he loved her; somehow she unburied her courage and made up her mind.

"He's letting us get away." The redhead choked out, and Duvaine felt her heart expand for the guard.

He was already gone, for the first time Duvaine turned around and she could see their knight charging into battle. He took two men down before he was cut off his horse by a long-sword across the back.

"Stop the horse." Duvaine whispered.

"No."

"Stop the horse now!" Duvaine demanded, her voice rising; Fovi reluctantly skidded their horse to a stop, Duvaine never raised her voice.

"We can't let his sacrifice be for nothing Duvaine!" Fovi cried, "What are you doing!?"

Duvaine slid off the back of the horse before Fovi could hold her in place. Her friend's eyes were wild in fright and it rolled off her in waves.

"Go Fovi! Get away from here! I'll find you in Hyrule, run and don't ever look back!" Duvaine cried, her voice soft even when she wanted it be loud and confident.

"I can't lose you too princess. Please!" Fovi begged, attempting to get off the horse. Before she could dismount, Duvaine smacked the horse's backside; Fovi yelped as her horse lurched forward, clutching at the reins hopelessly.

"I'll save him for you." Duvaine whispered, turning back to the sound of clashing metal in the distance. Her short legs didn't seem fast enough as she sprinted back through the dark woods, leaves and grass biting at her heels. Her breath came in gasps, her chest heaving.

There were three men left, two lay dead and their horses dragged them behind. Two men had gotten off their horses, attempting to finish Anoc off. The knight had managed to push himself against a tree, barely on his feet. The only man left on a horse turned towards the path where Duvaine stood, pausing when he spotted her there.

"I'm the princess!" She called with a shaky breath, the other two stopped advancing on Anoc to look at her.

"What are you doing?!" Anoc yelled, "Run!"

Duvaine didn't need to be told twice. The last thing she saw was the men lunging towards their horses before she started running. The grass clutched at her ankles and legs as she sprinted through the foliage, sobs breaking through her throat. She could hear them behind her, they yelled with glee, taunting her, telling her what they were going to take turns doing to her before they killed her.

The sound of thundering hooves was right behind her, she knew she was going to die.

If they kill me, then they'll kill Fovi. She thought. That was not an option, she would not allow them to hurt Fovi.

The sky was turning light, the sun promising a day filled with blood. The light allowed her to see ahead, and it probably saved her life. Just before the hooves were upon her, she jumped. There was a yell of disappointment behind her as she scrambled into a hollow log. The riders circled the clearing, she could hear the hooves halt and hear them all dismount.

Their anger filled the atmosphere, she could taste it in the air like a putrid odor. Their ill intentions made her sick, their glee for doing something so purely evil infuriated her.

"I can't wait to present her head to the King." One of the voices growled, she could hear somebody crouching beside the edge of the log and look in, and she could feel somebody's hand graze her foot; she barely held in her whimper. She was thankful for the black clothing that Fovi had given her.

"Who's to say you'll present her head to the King?" Another voice quipped, "We're all gonna do her in."

"I'm the commander of this regiment, I will be presenting her head to the King." The last voice asserted.

"You?" The first one asked, "You wen' an got Cal and Jifleth killed! You're a commander then I'm a knight!" The sound of metal being unsheathed made her shiver, she couldn't stop herself from trembling. The sobs were quiet as she buried her face in her hands. It wasn't long until the clash of metal filled the clearing.

Their greed consumed them from the inside out, even the last man to land a blow fell soon afterwards. Duvaine found herself frozen in fear within the empty stinking log.

The sun was pealing over the horizon when she finally crawled out of the retched log, she knew she would smell like mildew for a week. Her breath was heaving when she made it back to Anoc, who was trying to mount one of the horses. He jumped when Duvaine appeared, his sword at the ready, she could see blood welling from his cloak.

"Where's Fovi?" He demanded, his worry plain; he winced.

"She's on her way to Hyrule, we need to find her." Duvaine told him in a small voice. "You need to find her."

"Me? You're coming too—"

"This way! They're over here!" The shouts were faint, in the distance, but too close all the same.

"Go. I'll find you both." Duvaine whispered, "You love her, and she loves you. Now go."

The man look shocked, his eyes wide, as if he didn't believe her, as if he was going to deny it.

"Go!" Duvaine demanded, shoving him towards his horse. With renewed strength, he leaped onto the stallion with one bound and was thundering in the same direction Fovi had taken. The shouts were getting closer, and Duvaine jumped onto the remaining horse with much difficulty as she was so small.

She took a different route, towards Hyrule, towards freedom. The men came thundering around the castle just as her horse plunged into the trees. They would follow her, they would try to kill her.

But then they wouldn't go after Fovi.


	3. Run

Run

"One day we'll get out of here. We'll run away and survive in the woods as tree people." Fovi's voice echoed in Duvaine's mind, a happy memory.

The next time she saw Fovi, she was going to tell her how wrong she was about the wilderness.

It had been almost a week since she was separated from them; it had been, by far, the worst week of her life. Somehow, her horse had helped her evade her pursuers. There hadn't been a sign of them in a day, yet she was in fear of them every waking moment. She hadn't slept at all the first two days of running, and had finally stopped out of sheer exhaustion on the third day.

If you were to question her, she couldn't tell you where she slept or even if she had gotten off the horse that night. What she could remember was waking up to the sound of pounding hooves. In a moment of blind panic, she had stripped her horse of it's saddle bag and sent it careening into the forest. She had crouched in fear until the men stampeded by with whoops and shouts of glee. Sleep was the last thing on her mind as she started running in a different direction. Too soon she couldn't hold her pace and so she began walking.

And walking.

And walking.

On the bright side, it gave her time to admire the forest; seeing as she had never been away from the castle for long, it gave her time to see what kind of wonders she had been missing out on. The trees were amazing, they made her feel much smaller than she already was. It amazed her that such huge things could be alive.

Then there was the sweet smell of the forest after rainfall, and there was the rainfall itself, and there was the mud, and bugs. The bugs were interesting, she could see them but couldn't feel them if she reached out. They somehow evaded her, or maybe she was just too slow. Soon enough though, the forest lost its' wonder as the unfamiliar fatigues of traveling began to set in.

She was going to give Fovi a real piece of her mind the next time she saw her. Her legs ached, she could barely move after the first day of walking. Never had she felt such pain in her legs, never had she had to walk such long distances with a bag on her back and rain drizzling on her head. After a few days her legs didn't quite hurt, they just felt numb; it was as if she was waiting for them to collapse under her. The cool rain assured that she was constantly shivering, she didn't think she would know what it felt like to be warm and dry ever again either.

Almost a week of running, a week of shivering, a week of terror, of hunger... and she hadn't seen any signs of people since she left the castle behind. Surely she should've come across some roads or something by now. There were towns and villages between Hyrule's border and the capital of Elohn; she thought she had seen it upon a map somewhere when she should've been paying attention.

A constant rain had begun to drizzle over her again, and her stomach felt more hollow than ever before. Luckily, there had been some kind of dried meat in the bag she stole, but she had eaten all of it as soon as she discovered it. Currently, she wished she had rationed it. Her muscles were tired, she wanted to abandon the bag, but knew it was a bad idea. There was a large knife in it, an empty water canteen, and a small sack of rupees. Although, the more she walked the more she wanted to drop the burden.

She wanted to lay down and sleep for as long as she pleased, but knew it was a bad idea. She wanted to find the nearest town and beg somebody for food, but knew that was the worst idea of all. As soon as she was recognized she would be dragged back to the castle and she would probably never see Fovi again.

The thought brought tears to her eyes. Every time she thought about quitting, every time she wanted to just lay down and die, she thought of Fovi and the danger she could be in. This thought was all that kept her going, she had to make sure Fovi was alright. Fovi was her only friend, she wasn't going to let her go without a fight. Even if she couldn't fight... She balled her small hands into little fists, fighting back tears and biting her trembling lip.

It was almost twilight when she smelled it, her hands quivered in fear and her eyes darted every which way. It took her a moment to identify the odd smell as smoke, and cooked meat, and yet she couldn't sense a single person. The trees began to clear, and she came across a dirt road worn with wagon tracks and potholes. Instead of walking on it, she stayed in the brush and kept the road in sight. Her heart was beating faster and faster as her anxiety was brought to an all time high. She bit her tongue, not knowing what to expect and afraid of what she would find.

When the village finally came into sight, her breath caught in her throat. Only a few of the houses were left standing, the rest of them were nothing but burned rubble. A gasp of horror left her lips, she couldn't stop it; it quickly turned into a quiet sob. Despite her trembling, she forced herself to enter the village, inspecting a few of the heaps on the ground. With a cry of horror she realized the heaps strewn about were people, most decomposing, some had obviously been scavenged by animals. The sight made her sick to her stomach, she fell to her knees and was sick right there in the middle of the deserted street. There wasn't much to expel from her stomach, and so she sat on her knees heaving in the death strewn street.

It's my fault, they're looking for their princess.

A sob left her chest as she sat there among the corpses; she had no idea how long she was there, curled in on herself in despair. What kind of horrors was she capable of if she could bring death to an entire village without ever seeing them? Why had they deserved it? These people had done nothing!

It took a long time for her sobs to subside, and she was finally pulled back to reality when her stomach began to growl. She cried angrily at her impatient body and it's insensitive needs, not even allowing her a moment to grieve for the people. Her entire frame ached and fatigue hit her like a stampeding horse. Finally willing herself to stand, she floundered towards one of the homes still partly standing. It smelled like death within, and it was obvious animals had taken advantage of the vacancy. Every standard that she may have had had been blasted away days ago. All she could see was the horror stricken faces of the dead people in the street and was grateful she had a roof over her. She wished she was strong enough to bury them, give them a little peace in the destruction she had unknowingly caused.

After some shameful rifling and searching, she found some food sealed within a jar. She ate it hungrily, but it didn't do much to soothe her rolling stomach. The tears were still fresh on her cheeks when she slid down to the ruined floor and curled up into a small ball. It didn't take much effort to try and fall asleep, and soon enough she was sleeping quietly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the sound of horses that woke her. The sound of hooves beating on the ground made her eyes fly open in a panic. No sooner had she tensed to run, than the riders disappeared into the forest. Her heartbeat decreased as they faded into the distance; she measured she had slept through the entire night and most of the day. With a groan, she checked her bag once more to ensure she had all supplies she had found the night before.

Her feet hurt, it was obvious her boots were not meant for travel and she had already worn a hole through the bottom of the right boot. Upon further inspection, she discovered multiple red blisters on her feet. They were sensitive to the touch and clear liquid oozed out of one painfully.

"Need these?" A gravelly voice asked.

The girl twisted around with a gasp, a hand clutching her throat to stop the cry. There was a figure sitting in the darkened corner of the littered room; they stood painfully, clutching a small cane. The figure chuckled, and Duvaine's eyes widened as she recognized the old woman's figure.

She looked ancient, wrinkled skin and faint purple eyes; her hair was as brittle as hay and unkempt. She held out a pair of boots to Duvaine, who eyed the woman in astonishment and uncertainty.

"U-Uma?" She asked unevenly, the woman smiled a toothless grin. Duvaine remembered when the nanny had disappeared, she had always just assumed the woman had died. She and Fovi had even had a small memorial after she vanished from the castle.

"Yes dear, now put these on. You will need them." The woman moved closer, Duvaine caught a wiff of the woman's awful smell but didn't say a word. She hadn't even noticed her before, she had to really focus to be able and read the emotions trickling off her.

Although she was more than surprised to see the ancient nanny, she was glad to see a familiar face. It had been days since she felt even remotely reassured, and Uma's sudden appearance made her feel calm, as if everything would be all right. Without arguing, she sat down on the floor and put the new boots on. They were warm and sturdy, built for long distances; they were also the last thing on her mind.

"What happened here?" Duvaine asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Speak up girl, nobody can hear you!" The woman moved closer until her ear was almost touching Duvaine's nose.

"I said what happened here, to this village?" She tried again, her voice quavering.

"They were looking for you of course." Uma smiled a toothy grin and Duvaine had to stifle a sob. "They think one of your father's monsters stole the princess. Is it true?" The woman asked, her eyes laughing; she obviously knew the truth.

Duvaine couldn't even reply, the shock still plain.

"I need to find Fovi." Was all she said before turning towards the door stiffly. A wrinkly, yet strong hand wrapped around her arm.

"Wait just a minute my dear." The woman smiled, "First I have to tell you something."

Duvaine blinked, trying to process the woman's sudden excitement that gave her an uneasy feeling. "Yes?" she asked in a small voice.

"To break the curse, you must find him. Find the Hero and break the curse. He'll know what to do." The old woman's breath was hot against Duvaine's cheek and she couldn't help but curl away. The old woman's words didn't make sense. Hero? What Hero? How could he break the curse?

The woman released Duvaine from her grip and briskly made her way outside, back hunched over more than Duvaine remembered. She stood there dazed for a moment before blinking in confusion.

"Wait!" She called, following the woman's path. But when she stepped outside, the road was empty. There was no woman, and there were no answers.

There was an odd chill in the air, the bodies that had been abandoned in the street were nowhere in sight; it sent a tremor of unease down Duvaine's back. Before she could find out where they had gone, she rushed back inside and gripped her bag tightly between her gloved fingers before sprinting for the treeline in a northern direction.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

More walking. More running. More fear. Duvaine was sure she would be used to all of them soon enough.

Uma's words kept replaying in her head, Find the Hero. Break the curse.

How was she supposed to find him? How was she supposed to know it was him if she did find him?

Her emotions were unraveling, the constant pain and fear and worry were becoming too much. She had continued walking for two entire days after Uma's strange appearance; she hadn't come across anything or anyone. Only the trees kept her company, and sometimes the birds.

The rain had stopped days ago, but that didn't mean anything to her. The trees and the earth were both a rich green, but Duvaine didn't have the willpower to admire them. All she could feel was her hollow stomach, her aching feet, and her despairing heart.

One more step.

She forced herself forward.

One more step.

Her legs fell out from beneath her. The soft grass rushed up to her face and she barely managed to catch herself.

I can't keep going.

Silent tears fell down her face, and despair twisted her heart. How could she get to Fovi if she couldn't walk anymore?

A loud growl filled the small clearing and she froze before realizing it was her own stomach. She had never felt so hungry in her entire life.

But the hunger was nothing compared to the pain coursing through her legs. They were shaking, her muscles trembled beneath her small weight. For a long time she lay there, wishing for death and at the same time cursing it. When the pain in her legs faded into a dull ache, she painfully forced herself to her feet.

One more step.

One more step.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

She had lost track of the days, she stopped caring how long it had been. Night, day. What did it matter? It was impossible for anyone to sneak up on her... So she thought. It seemed that Uma had proven that false somehow.

It was an early morning when she saw them. She was half crazed by her hunger, there was nothing else she could think about. The only thing she could feel was her stomach and how empty it was.

Why hadn't Uma given her some food? Food was all she really wanted. Food.

Tomatoes, or apples, lettuce, crackers... Anything.

And then she spotted them. From far away they looked like flowers, but upon closer inspection it was obvious that they were berries.

Berries.

Bright red luscious berries.

Food.

A puff of air left her lips, and a small cry of victory. She hadn't moved so fast in days, practically sprinting for the bush despite her aching muscles. Almost savagely, she yanked the cloth down around her neck and grabbed the closest fruits. They burst in her hands, the juice running onto her gloves, her lips, her cheeks. And yet she didn't care. It didn't matter what state each berry was in: unripe, ripe, over-ripe; they all were shoveled into her ravenous jaws.

Finally, her stomach seemed to be appeased. For the moment, the pain in her abdomen had subsided; and that allowed room for the fatigue in her legs to move in. Finally, she decided to rest and found herself leaned against a great oak tree without remembering how she got there. Then there was a new feeling in her stomach, a painful twist that wasn't right.

Before she knew it, she was throwing up. Her stomach retched as she heaved into the grass pitifully. Her mouth tasted terrible and she was covered in a cold sweat. It hadn't even occurred to her that the berries could be poisonous or make her sick. She had been too hungry to think or care. But now it was a thousand times worse, her stomach was rolling and she felt feverish.

Oh, she was definitely going to have some words with Fovi about the wilderness.

Her mouth tasted disgusting, even swirling water in her mouth didn't banish the bile. For a long time she sat there, only moving to get away from her stomach's contents. Then she knew that she was going to die.

Instead of feeling fear, she felt melancholy. It saddened her that she couldn't even get far enough from Elohn to feel free. Fovi would wonder what happened to her, and then she would forget and live on with Anoc by her side. The anguish gripped her heart; she thought of all the places she would never see, the experiences she had missed and the life she could've had if she wasn't born into Elohn. After a while the pain became too much and the sorrowful thoughts slid from her mind as she tried to bare the pain silently. Pain flared across her stomach, she curled in on herself, burying her face into her knees and squeezing.

She wasn't sure how many hours she waited for death. Death didn't seem like such a terrible thing as her stomach began to cramp harder, horrible ripples of pain tore through her abdomen and spread to her chest. It couldn't be much longer, death wasn't supposed to be this painful.

Her mind was clouded, fogging over the new presences that skipped into the clearing. Duvaine didn't even notice them until she heard their voices.

"I'm going to pick the most!" A boy declared.

"No! I am!" Another retorted.

"Stop it right now you two! These berries are for my sweet Link, and I don't want you two messing it up!" A girl's voice scolded.

Duvaine stiffened and lifted her head towards the intruders, a hand clutching at her stomach as another burst of pain consumed her. She couldn't help the small moan of pain that left her sore throat, dried tears coated her face and a sheen of sweat covered her features. Everything was blurry, as if she was trying to see through a fog bank.

"What was that?" A young male voice asked nervously, then Duvaine heard a gasp. "There's a person! I think..." It didn't even occur to her that her face wasn't covered as it should've been.

"Get back!" Another small voice quavered, their unease filled her with fear. "She could be dangerous."

Duvaine's heart sank, they were only children! Just by being near them she was placing them in danger.

"I don't think she's Hylian... She looks sick." A female voice announced, closer than the others. The girl's face was blurry in Duvaine's vision, but she could just make out a swath of blonde hair.

"Get back Beth!" The same boy commanded. "We need to go get Link, or an adult-"

Her heart rate sky-rocketed in panic.

"No!" She groaned, trying to sit up and failing. "Help... berries... poisonous..." She collapsed against the bark of the tree, and felt a small hand press against her forehead gently.

"Beth! Get away!" The boy hollered.

"She needs help Talo. Malo! Do you still have the potion?" The girl, Beth, demanded.

"Yes, but Link said it's just for emergencies-"

"This is an emergency. Give it to her." Another boy said, Duvaine could barely make out where the voices were coming from. The dark haired boy, Malo, pressed a bottle against her lips and she drank deeply. The liquid was warm as it slid down her throat, and before it even hit her gullet her vision began to clear.

"There there, you'll feel better soon." The girl assured, patting Duvaine's shoulder affectionately. The potion filled her with warmth from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. The girl boggled Duvaine's mind, she was so kind to a stranger. The children watched her as her vision slowly began to clear, until she was looking up into four young faces. Three boys, one girl.

"Are you alright?" The blonde haired boy asked uncertainly, Duvaine could only stared at them with wide frightened eyes. She hadn't spoken to anyone besides Uma, and she had been so sure the first people she met would recognize her for what she was.

"Maybe she can't talk." The boy beside him pointed out, he was taller than the blonde but with shaggy brown locks and bright brown eyes.

"She just did a second ago you idiot." The smaller brunette rolled his eyes, and Duvaine could see a resemblance between them.

"I think she's a fairy." The girl breathed, not taking her eyes away from Duvaine's face. The girl's piercing gaze made Duvaine shift uneasily, uncomfortable under her stare.

"Are you alright miss? You must have eaten some Pril's Bane, it looks exactly like regular berries." The blonde boy offered, coming closer to her and crouching beside her leg. "Where did you come from?"

Again, she stared at him open mouthed, unable to find her voice. The children all looked at her expectantly, she tried to shy away from their blatant curiosity.

"I don't think she's a talker." The shaggy brunette whispered after a few moments of strained silence.

"Be quiet Talo, let her speak." Beth scolded, but then her eyes softened. "Well, I guess you don't have to speak..."

Their eyes pierced her face, when she finally managed a peep it came out as a terrible cough.

"Have some water." The blonde boy offered, "I'm Colin. This is Malo and Talo, and Beth."

Duvaine drank all of the water in one gulp, wiping the drip from her chin shyly. Although they had seen her face, she pulled the hood higher over her head and pulled the cloth back into place over her mouth. Although it didn't do anything, she felt safer behind the coverings.

"Th-thank you for helping me." She whispered, the children all leaned in to catch her words.

"What's your name?" Talo asked, but she looked away instead of answering.

"Do you need help? Directions? Where are you headed? Our village can help..." Colin offered, "Link and my father Rusl would be glad to help."

"Please, don't tell any-anyone about me." She squeaked, trying to cough the itch from her throat. "Nobody can know I'm here."

"Why not? Are you a fairy?" Beth asked. For a second, Duvaine faltered, but then she nodded.

"Yes, and there are... h-hunters after me." Her voice quavered, that was almost the truth.

"We won't tell anyone, I promise!" Beth smiled, seeming to like the idea of being friends with a fairy.

"Beth!" Colin whined, he was uneasy.

"What?" She demanded with hands on her hips.

"We don't know her! You can't just make deals with a stranger!" He lowered his voice, although Duvaine could still hear him just fine.

"I wouldn't hurt any of you." Duvaine told him in a small voice. "I don't want you to get hurt, which is why you can't tell anyone."

The children stood in silence for a few moments, and then a solid conviction seemed to solidify in each of them.

"Are you hungry?" Beth asked, and Talo's eyes seemed to bug out of his head.

"Wait Beth-!"

"I don't care what you say Talo! I'm not going to leave her all alone out here to starve to death!" She stood and pointed an angry finger at him.

"I was just going to say I wanted to eat too..." Talo hung his head and his brother snickered.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Duvaine found herself curled up beneath a fort of sticks and branches. A cough racked her body and she sipped gratefully at the water Colin had left her. Unease boiled in her chest, the only thing dividing her and discovery were those rambunctious kids.

They had promised to return, and Duvaine prayed to the goddesses she could trust them. More than anything, she wanted some time to rest. Her limbs were tired, if soldiers were to discover her she knew that she didn't stand a chance. She was vulnerable, and that frightened her. Every twig that snapped, every leaf that stirred in the breeze, made her jump with fright, waiting for men with swords and bludgeons to strike her down.

The fort was cool and shaded, the kids had known what they were doing when they twisted the branches together and gave her a bed of dried leaves to rest upon. Their kindness had brought tears to her clouded eyes, leaving her speechless. They left shortly after, promising to bring her back some food and more medicine, each one swearing they wouldn't tell a soul they had seen her.

Each one had been more than sincere, and yet her conscious wasn't at ease. Something in the air didn't feel right, yet she was too exhausted to pinpoint exactly what it was.

Before she could ponder more, there was a tickle in her chest and the children's voices could be heard through the walls of her fort. Their excitement enveloped her like an unfamiliar blanket. They had only been away for an hour, and yet it felt like an eternity.

"C'mon!" One of them shouted, and she could hear them racing to her shelter with laughs of glee.

"Hello?! Miss Fairy? Are you still here?" Beth called as she pulled some twigs aside from the doorway. Duvaine sat up sluggishly, groaning at the soreness in her weak legs and ache in her feet. "There you are! We brought you some food and medicine!" She announced with a smile.

Duvaine smiled as much as she could, Beth squeezed into the small place and sat beside her. The boys stayed outside, all poking their heads in and straining to see Duvaine's face.

"Thank you." She whispered kindly with a smile.

"Drink the water first." Colin said. Duvaine uneasily pulled Fovi's cloth down around her neck again and drank the water from the canteen.

With a splutter, she spit the substance out. It burned her mouth painfully and she began to cough heavily again.

"What's wrong?" Colin asked.

"I'm not sure..." Beth replied.

Duvaine kept coughing until the pain subsided, and didn't pick the canteen up again. "I can't drink that." She whispered.

"Why not?" Talo asked with an air of exasperation.

Duvaine only shrugged.

"Alright, here's some food..." Beth handed her a small basket filled with fruits and dried meats. Duvaine only barely remembered her manners as she popped the first fruit into her mouth.

"Mmmmm..." She mumbled as she chewed, half the basket was empty by the time she was finished. Never in her life had she been so grateful to strangers.

"Do you feel better?" Beth asked, and Duvaine nodded timidly. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

Duvaine thought about it for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I believe so..." She answered quietly, knowing it was a terrible idea to stay and also knowing she had nowhere else to go.

Beth's excitement filled the room, Malo aloof, Colin inquisitive, and Talo exuberant. Their feelings were like a siphon, and raised Duvaine's spirits.

"I'm so glad! You can stay here for the night! We'll be back to check on you tomorrow." Beth smiled.

"Will you be alright out here all by yourself?" Colin asked, and Duvaine nodded shyly. "Alright, we'll see you tomorrow."

The children all waved goodbye before disappearing into the forest again. Duvaine sat on the pile of leaves before sinking to the ground with a sigh. Never in her life, would she have thought that she would be sleeping on leaves, or that they could be so comfortable. It didn't take much for the fatigue to consume her, she was sleeping deeply before the children were out of earshot.

XXXXXXXXXXXX


	4. Unearthed

Unearthed

The children visited her in the woods everyday for five days. They brought food, water, and most importantly: happiness. Duvaine knew she shouldn't linger so long, but the forest wasn't an inviting place; the longer she stayed the harder it was becoming to leave. Those children were not making it any easier on her either. Duvaine had only known them for a short amount of time, and yet it felt like forever. Being near them filled her with unspoken joy, being away from them filled her with dread. What was she doing? She knew that she should leave, she shouldn't have interacted with them after she met them at all. But she knew that also would have been impossible.

Beth absolutely adored her, and Duvaine couldn't understand why. All the young girl could talk about was moving to the city and a boy named Link whom she claimed to be in love with. It was quite clear to Duvaine that Beth didn't know what that kind of love felt like... but then again, neither did Duvaine. Beth was sweet and innocent in her own bossy bratty way. Although the girl nagged her companions constantly, it was clear she had good intentions.

Colin was kindhearted, brave, and considerate. The other children looked up to him entirely, Duvaine wondered how he had won their loyalty. Her sixth sense could tell it hadn't always been that way; she could sense the missing animosity among them.

Talo was a hyper boy, always quick to say what came to his mind; it humored Duvaine that the boy's mess of brown hair matched his personality. He was constantly filled with excitement, his entire form seemed to be bursting at the seams with energy; it was a personality explicitly differing from his brother.

Malo was the tricky one, the only quiet one; he was the only one that seemed to remember their parent's warnings about strangers. The small quiet boy didn't jump to speak to her, or strain to see her face like the others did. It was clear her presence interested him like the others, but he had a healthy sense of caution. She hoped it wouldn't get her into trouble.

Getting to know them was making her anxiety worse. Every day she worried about them, dread seemed to be her only emotion now adays.

Above all, Duvaine knew that the children's village couldn't survive an encounter with Elohn military; they would surely share the same fate as the other town. Although she hadn't been near the village, or seen it, she could tell by the children's clothing and the dust that coated them that they weren't of higher class. She assumed they were likely a farming village, or maybe livestock. It didn't matter to her, what did matter was that they were in possible danger.

It was the morning of the sixth day that something felt odd. Duvaine had woken with the sun and was sitting beside a nearby stream. All morning she sat there contemplating; should she leave or stay? Of course she didn't want to leave quite yet, but it was a danger to the youths and their families. It was the only thing on her mind.

A small smile pulled at her lips when she glanced down to her neck. Beth had given her a necklace of flowers the day before and it was still draped over her shoulders. Some of them were crumpled from her sleep, but they were still a pretty lavender.

"To make your eyes pop." Beth had giggled, as if Duvaine's ghostly white eyes weren't noticeable enough already. She huffed.

She couldn't express how grateful she was to them for saving her; if they hadn't found her she would be dead. If they hadn't had that potion she would most definitely be dead. Her mind kept coming back to this point, was she really so helpless that even children could save her? Had it been a mistake to think she could survive in the woods while walking across two entire countries?

The stream flowed by slowly, calmly, not matching her raging thoughts in the slightest.

After a great deal of contemplation, she knew the time had come for her to move on before the village suffered the consequences. Hyrule couldn't be far, and she wanted to find Fovi as soon as she could. There was only one problem...

Duvaine had no clue where she was, let alone where she could find Fovi.

That realization hit her hard, what if she couldn't find Fovi? Dread dropped into her stomach like a rock, what was she going to do? Her reflection in the cool stream stared back worriedly, would her fear ever end?

The sun was high in the sky when she finally stood, the small clearing completely illuminated by its' rays. She glanced up at it, shielding her eyes in concentration. Usually the children had come by now. Something wasn't right, the air smelled odd... like smoke...

Her head whipped around in every direction, desperately trying to search over the trees. Her eyes skimmed over it three times before she noticed it. Off in the distance she could see a black cloud rising into the sky. Before she knew what she was doing, she was sprinting towards the smoke cloud; she had never been to the village, but she knew what direction it was in. Her frantic mind flashed to the burned village she had encountered and her gut clenched. Were her nightmares coming true? Surely the soldiers would spare children at least?! Her heart hammered in her chest and her eyes became damp with the horror filled thoughts tumbling through her disheveled mind.

Duvaine didn't know how close she had come to the village when she felt their signatures. A terror filled scream from ahead echoed through her eardrums; the force of their fear almost knocked her to her feet. There was something else, something dark and unforgiving. Something all too familiar. It filled her senses and drowned almost everything else from her mind.

Another scream sounded closer than before. She desperately tried to shove the bracken out of the way as she stumbled forward. With a yelp of surprise, she collided with something small and terrified. They unceremoniously fell into a pile of limbs.

"Malo?!" She gasped in shock as she recognized the terrified form in her arms. "Are you alright?! What's wrong?!"

Before he could reply, the others were thundering through the bushes. Colin skidded to a stop beside them and desperately attempted to pull the pair to their feet.

"Come on!" He howled. "Get up! It's right behind us!"

Their panic hastened through her body in tremors, she barely had enough sense through the cluster to pick herself off the forest floor. A large loping figure crashed through the bushes towards them, it was filled with one desire and one desire only.

Kill.

Duvaine recognized a Bhit when she sensed one. It's height towered over any man, it had a large arched back and long black snout. It's eyes were shot with black, no pupils visible to an observer who dared to even get close enough. It had four legs and was said to run faster than a horse; Duvaine knew that they didn't stand a chance and found it amazing the beast hadn't caught the children yet. It must have been playing with them.

Before her body could freeze with fear, she yanked Malo to his feet just as the monster roared into the clearing.

"Run!" She gasped, the children didn't need to be told twice. The panting of the demon dog was loud behind them, she could feel its' breath on her neck. Her own breathing turned into gasps and the children squealed and cried in terror ahead of her.

"Keep going!" She used her loudest voice, letting the children run on. The demon growled behind her, it's need for blood overwhelming, almost bringing her to her knees.

Duvaine focused on the brutality of it, using her empathy to lock onto the blood lust and twisting it to her advantage. The Bhit skidded to a stop a breath away and howled in agony as she pushed it back with sheer willpower.

"What's happening?!" A small voice asked from behind her, she turned with wide eyes to see the children standing in a cluster of terror.

"Get away! It's dangerou—" Her warning turned into a yelp of pain when a giant paw connected with her fragile body. Duvaine hit the ground with a thud, landing painfully on her left shoulder. The breath was knocked from her chest, panic seizing her for a moment when she failed to suck in a gulp of air.

I'm going to die. She thought madly, and then her lungs were functioning again. She sucked in a painful gasp, the sounds of the Bhit finally reaching her eardrums again. It was growling and snarling, clawing at its' chest with razor sharpness; it didn't seem to notice it was drawing its' own blood. Duvaine flinched and found her connection to its' emotions again before shoving harder, but not without an infinite amount of guilt. The monster bellowed with all the wrath of hell and flailed its' massive forelegs wildly. Fear gripped Duvaine's heart at the sight of the children standing much to close, pressed against a tree.

"Get away!" She choked on the pain in her chest and the dark emotion that swirled through her. "Stay away from it!"

Before they could heed her warning, the Bhit lashed out. Malo shoved his brother out of the way and a long claw caught him. He stumbled to the ground, the rest of the children screaming in hysteria as they caught him.

"NO!" Duvaine screeched, her own rage and anguish fueling her effort to stop the monster. The Bhit gave another ferocious roar, bitterly swinging its' arms and splintering trees in its' wake. Duvaine shoved harder and the monster gave one last earsplitting roar before its' entire face went slack; it fell to the earth with a resounding boom and the forest fell silent.

Beth's cries of sorrow tore through the air first. Duvaine struggled to her feet, holding her arm in pain as she stumbled towards the heap that was Malo. She could smell blood and feel his pain as if it were her own. His arm was injured, she thanked the Goddesses it wasn't worse.

Before she could examine his wound, or approach them, there was a shout in the distance.

"Colin!?"

"Talo!? Malo!?"

"Beth?!"

The new arrival's panic hit her like a punch to the stomach. Her entire body tensed to run, and yet also sagged in exhaustion from her endeavor. The demon had conveniently disappeared in a cloud of smoke, effectively taking all her energy and leaving nothing but a pile of black ash. The parents in the near distance shouted once more, and yet she couldn't move. A small hand tugged on her sleeve, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Go. We'll take care of him." Beth released her sleeve. Duvaine knew she was responsible for this, all of it was her fault. They had sent the Bhit after her, she had led it right to the children. Tears sprung to her eyes, but she couldn't find her voice even to apologize.

"Go." Colin repeated, looking up at her with a nod.

Before she could make a decision for herself, a man was lumbering towards them through the brush.

"Malo? Talo?" The short but large man hollered, Duvaine's feet seemed to be rooted to the spot. He halted in his tracks, blinked at the children for a moment, spotting his injured son, and then glanced at Duvaine. It was as if a shadow was cast over him, his entire face darkened and his eyes narrowed into slits. "You hurt my boy?!" He hollered, charging forward.

Duvaine yelped in panic and fear. Leaping out of his way, she turned and fled into the trees. More of men crashed into the clearing behind her, but she didn't dare look back.

"No!" Beth cried.

"Stop!" Colin shouted.

"Papa?" Talo asked.

Their voices were drowned out by the rush of blood in her ears as she sprinted. The tears flowed freely from her eyes; she didn't try to wipe them away. Shame coursed through her, along with fear, sadness, and melancholy. She was absolutely exhausted, her entire body drained of energy, and yet she couldn't stop.

By the time she reached her shelter, sweat drenched her entire body. She could barely keep her eyes open, and her head was splitting with a headache. No amount of relief hit her as she rushed into the shelter and shoved her few belongings into her stolen saddle bag. Within a few measly minutes, she was ready to go.

But a few measly minutes was all he had needed to catch up.

As soon as she stepped back outside, she could sense him. Duvaine blinked into the brush for a moment as he sprinted into the clearing, coming to a standstill upon seeing her. The young man stood there scrutinizing her for a solid moment. His electric blue eyes seemed to penetrate her soul. His wild blonde hair was coated in dust, and he wore similar clothing to the children: sandals, a work shirt, some pants, and a wrap around belt. But Duvaine knew she had never seen a man more comely than the one standing before her. His handsome features put even Anoc to shame, she felt her knees weaken for a different reason; but it didn't last more than a moment.

His stately appearance didn't startle her so much as his emotions. Anger coursed through his veins, suspicion, sadness, loss. His eyes narrowed when he saw her, but strangely didn't seem hostile. He moved towards her just an inch, and she bolted into the trees with a cry of panic.

"Hey! Wait!" He hollered, giving chase behind her.

Duvaine let out a whimper of fear, she gripped her bag tightly, knowing her energy was gone. There was no way she could fight him, physically or mentally. Her shoulder ached and her head pounded with pain and over exertion.

"Stop!" He hollered again, she could tell he was gaining on her. His footsteps were right behind her, she could feel his breath on her neck. His fingers wrapped around the back of her tunic and...

Duvaine stumbled hard in the grass and they fell into a tumbled mess; she cried out in pain as her shoulder flared. He caught himself before he could land on her. Duvaine's breath thumped in her throat as she scrambled up again, a hand wrapped around her ankle. With a cry of panic, she fell back down, eliciting another burst of pain through her injury. The man's breathing was as rugged as hers, and he scrambled to grab her before she could bolt away again.

Duvaine sobbed in fear and flung her bag into his face as hard as she could. He made a surprised muffled noise, but his grip on her leg loosened enough for her to yank it away. Before Duvaine could get very far, a weight tackled her to the ground again. She landed on her stomach, all of her air knocked from her lungs again.

"Hey! Hold on a minute!" The man heaved, pinning her beneath him. "I just want to talk!"

Duvaine held still, squeezing her eyes shut and trying not to sob as she caught her breath. His weight shifted off of her, she considered running again before he was helping her up with strong arms. As soon as he had released her, she moved several steps away from him. Her entire body was tensed to flee, her hands trembled and her eyes were wide with fear. The man looked dumbfounded by her attempts to flee, part of him perplexed by her fear; she could see it in his eyes. His eyes roamed over her face, and she gave a peep of panic when she realized her hood had fallen off in their scuffle. She yanked it back up, shadowing her pale features from his view. He quirked a worried brow, but didn't comment on the action.

"Are you alright? Do you need help?" He asked, looking her over again; his gaze hovered over the arm she was cradling.

Duvaine stood with her mouth hanging open in shock. Did he just ask if she was alright? Why? More importantly, were the children alright?

"Is Malo alright?" She whispered, he blinked in surprise for a moment.

"He will be, I've seen worse."

Duvaine nodded and began to shuffle away slowly with her head down.

"Hold on a second! Who are you? Do you need help? Are there soldiers looking for you?" He asked.

Duvaine's blood ran cold, her reaction must have shown because his eyes widened and he held up his hands placadingly.

"No! No! No! I'm not with them, or trying to turn you in or anything!" He looked shocked by the very notion, and Duvaine could feel his sincerity.

"What do you want?" She asked nervously, avoiding eye contact. "I have nothing, please—"

"I'm not trying to rob you either." He looked offended, and she blinked. "The children said you've been in the woods for several days, I know now why you were hiding. We thought they had made up an imaginary friend..."

Silence stretched over them, Duvaine's eyes were sagging lower and lower from exhaustion. "Was there a fire?" She barely managed, the man's eyes hardened.

"Yes, soldiers came in this morning looking for someone. They were from Elohn, we're the closest to their border. I'm surprised they came into Hyrulian territory with the intent of causing trouble." He growled.

Duvaine gasped, and the man looked around for a threat before setting his eyes on her again. "What?"

"This... is Hyrule?" She breathed.

He nodded slowly. "Yes, this is Ordona Province... you don't look so good..."

Duvaine could feel her consciousness fading, her knees wobbled beneath her small frame. "They can't know I'm here!" She gasped. "If they find me they'll kill everyone! I have to- to-"

She slumped forward before her legs gave out from beneath her. The Bhit had been too much, more than she could handle. Before she could hit the ground, the same strong arms from before caught her. The last thing she remembered was feeling weightless as the handsome stranger scooped her into his arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the sound of soft voices that woke her. Whispered voices, worried voices, alarmed voices. There were only two of them, and yet they sounded like a thousand. She kept her eyes firmly shut, listening.

"If she is who we think she is we can't just turn her over to them. They're obviously looking for her, but their intentions didn't seem good." A male voice said quietly.

"Or they're just looking for their lost princess. Wouldn't you be just as aggressive if Princess Zelda had disappeared?" A light female voice asked. Duvaine shuddered at her insinuations.

"Princess Zelda wouldn't be running from her own men. So why would she? They're up to no good." The man's voice was familiar, Duvaine knew he was the one whom she had encountered in the woods.

There was a long pause, then a sigh. "I think you're right." The girl relented. "So what do you plan to do then?"

The man hummed. "Not entirely sure."

The girl snorted. "How am I not surprised?" She scoffed, which turned into a light hearted laugh. "Why don't you ask her when she wakes up?"

"You're not staying until she does?" He sounded surprised.

"No, I need to go help my father clean up what we can. I don't think Jaggle will have wood for us until Malo is better, so we're gonna start cleaning it out for now." The girl sighed. "I'll see you later Link, come let me know if you decide to leave."

Link. The name washed over her. So that was her captor's name.

There was a deep sigh. "I'm sorry about the house." He said.

"It's not your fault, or hers. These kinds of things happen when a coward is given a little bit of power." The girl said, Duvaine could hear a door shut a moment later.

It was silent for a moment before there was a loud sigh. The boy, Link, muttered something under his breath before moving about the room. The sounds of his footsteps on the ground vibrated against Duvaine's ear. There was a copious amount of heat hitting her face, and she came to the conclusion that she was laying in front of a fire. For several minutes, she listened to the man bustle around the room.

It took her several moments to realize that she could still hear whispering. It hadn't only been the two talking, she could hear more voices. They seemed to be coming from beneath the floorboards.

The sound of climbing shook her from her reverie. Link had left her for the moment. Slowly, Duvaine dared to open her eyes. She had been right about the fire. It was warm against her face, the flames danced. She was laying on a few blankets, one draped over her small body. With a quick glance around the room, she could see a small dining area, the front door, and a ladder leading to an upstairs loft. Soft thumps and quiet murmuring told her Link was up there. While he was distracted, she searched for an entrance to the cellar.

When she saw the opening, she quietly rose. Her head still ached, her muscles were sore and stiff. As quietly as she could, she stepped down the ladder. The darkness swallowed her whole, and yet the voices grew louder and louder the lower she climbed. Her eyes adjusted slowly, the voices calling out to her.

Come. They whispered.

Come.

Come!

They needed her, she needed them. They promised to help her, to help her, to help her!

A chill ran down her spine, and yet she couldn't pull out of the stupor the voices had pulled her into. They were the only thing she could hear, begging her, enticing her, beseeching her. Their voices overflowed in her mind. As she got closer to the source, they changed. They became painful, filling her head with menacing threats, the pleading turned to demands, the voices turning loud and sharp.

Finally, her eyes adjusted; the source of them willing her forward. The chest was only a dark shape in her poor vision, and she frantically felt the lid until she popped it open.

"What the—?!" The loud voice upstairs didn't faze her, she barely even registered it. "Where'd she go? Ummm? Excuse me? Miss?"

The voices screamed in her ears, she would've writhed with pain if she wasn't so intent on putting their wails to an end. Faceless objects were pushed aside as she rummaged through the chest; none of its' contents interested her. At the bottom, she spotted it.

It was in a small worn leather bag, glowing a faint orange. Her hand wrapped around it tightly, and pulled it out with great care. Her hands weren't her own, not even shaking as she peeled off her right glove. The pain in her left shoulder was forgotten. All she could see was the bag, all she could feel was the smoothness of the leather, and all she could hear were its' contents. All at once, the wails vanished; and yet she had see it, to hold it, to take its' power.

"There you are— What are you doing! Don't—!" A voice behind her warned, but it was too late.

Her fingers wrapped around the shard and the bag thunked to the floor. The glowing fragment seemed to grow brighter in her hand, before she could even breathe she was whipped around. Duvaine was met with fierce blue eyes, wildly looking from her to the glowing object. Her heart thumped in her chest. His face was one of pure confusion, obviously trying to figure out what he was seeing.

Then it began to burn.

An agonized cry of pain left her throat, and yet she couldn't let go. It was stuck, her fingers wouldn't respond. Link's face turned from confused to stunned as she buckled to the ground. It felt like fire coursing through her right arm, threatening to spill over into the rest of her body. Before it could, something pried the cursed piece from her hand.

Her head swam, face contorted in pain. Just before she lost consciousness again, a beastly growl sounded in her ear.

XXXXXXXXXXXX


End file.
